Apparatus for stretching and vulcanizing a plurality of rubber belts.



No. 694,087. Patented Feb. 25; I902.

D. B. BOWEN 8v. 6. T. EBIGSSUN. APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND VULCANIZING A PLURALITY 0F RUBBER BELTS.

A lim'cion filed Sept. 30. 1901. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

wil

l jb 'll nil WITNESSES. A NTORS ,4, (QJLJM, 47W

m: womus PETERS co PNOYO-LI'IMO.. WASHINEI'ON. D. c

No. 694,087. Patentqdfeh. 25, I902] V D. R. BOWEN 8|. C. T. EBICSSON.

APPARATUS FOR STRETGHING AND VULCANIZING A PLURALITY 0F RUBBER BELTS.

(Application filed Sept. 80, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES. INVENTORS THE Norms PETERS c0 PHOTO'LITNCL, WASHINGTON. my a.

No. 694,087. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

D. RQBOWEN C. T. ERICSSUN.

APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND VULGANIZING A PLURALITY 0F RUBBER BELTS.

(Application filed Sept. 30, 1901.)

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

F t/gh WITNESSES INVENTORS THE ncmus FEIERS co. PNQYO'UTNQ" WASHXNGYOIL D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID R. BOl/VEN AND CHARLES T. ERICSSON, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNORS TO FARREL FOUNDRY AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF ANSO- NIA, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT:

APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING ANDVULCANIZING A' PLURALITY OF RUBBER BELTS."

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,087, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed September 30, 1901i. Serial No. 77,001. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID R. BOWEN and CHARLES T. ERICSSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Ansonia, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Stretching and Vuleanizing a Plurality of Rubber Belts, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the manufacture IO of rubber belting, andhas for its object to provide simple and quick-acting hydraulically-operated apparatus for clamping, stretching, and vulcanizing a plurality of rubber belts simultaneously and for returning the I 5 sliding clamps to the starting posit-ion after each vulcanizing operation.

With these ends in view we have devised the novel hydraulic gripping and stretching apparatus which we will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and using reference characters to designate the several parts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our novel apparatus, broken away at .thecenter to in-;

dicate that the machine may be of any ,desired length, depending upon the requirements in view, the slidingclamps being moved; outward, as in stretching a series of belts; Fig. 2, an end elevation as seen from the left 0 in Fig. 1, the framework of the stationary clamps being in section onthe line 2 2; Fig. 3, a plan View. of the right end of the ma chine as seen in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail side elevation, on an enlarged scale, illustrating 3 5 the stretching mechanism, the sliding clamps being at the starting position; Fig. 5, a vertical section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a horizontal section on the linejti 6 in Figs. 4 and 5; Fig. 7, an elevation of the sliding 4o clamps and the carrier attached, and Fig. 9

is a section on the line 8 8 in Fig. 7.

A denotes the framework, which may be'of any required construction; B, lower cross pieces; .0, upper cross-pieces; D, tie-rods connecting the cross-pieces; 20, 21, 22, and 23, Vulcanizing-tables; 24:, 25, 26, and 27, the corresponding platens; E, the stationary clamps, and F the sliding clamps.

, It will bereadily understood from the drawings that the Vulcanizing tables and platens 36, as shown in Fig.1.

are placed one above the other and are suspended in such a manner that each will pick up and carry the one above. it as it moves upward. The upper platen is rigidly secured 'to the upper cross-pieces C, and the lower table rests uponcross-heads 28, carried by the plungers 29 of a series of hydraulic rams G. Platens 24, 25, and 26 are formed integral with tables 21, 22, and 23, respectively. The lower table and the upper platen are pro- 6o vided with stea|n-ol1ests, and each intermediate combined table and platen is provided with a steam-chest. As the construction of the steam-chests and the steam connections is not of the essence of our invention, we have 6 5 not deemed it necessary to illustrate them in the drawings; The steam-chests appear in dotted lines only and are indicated by 30 in Figs. land 2. It is of course necessary that theintermediate combined tables and platens be suspended in such a manner that their downward movementis limited and they'are left free to move upward when rams G are operated. This result may be accomplished in various ways. We have shown the intermediate tables and platens as suspended by means of rods 31, having heads 32 at both ends. Certain of the upper cross-pieces C are provided with blocks 33,npon which heads 32 rest, and with recesses 34 to receive rods 31, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The combined table and platen next below the upper crosspieces is providedwith corresponding blocks 35, under which the lower heads of rods 31 engage and which are provided with recesses 34 to receive the lower ends of the rods. The second combined table and platen is suspended in like manner from the upper combined table and platen, and the third combined table and. platen is suspended in like manner from the 0' second. In the drawings we have illustrated a machine constructed to Vuloanize four or any less number of 'belts simultaneously. By

increasing the number of intermediate combined tables and platens the number 'of belts that can be operated upon simultanously may be correspondingly increased. The 'upper heads of rods 31 maybe retained in place in anyiconvenient manner, as by pins orrivets IGO The stationary clamps E are placed one above the other, as shown in Fig. 1, and are operated by hydraulic rams H on opposite sides of the machine, (one only appearing in the drawings,) and the sliding clamps F are placed in the same manner and are operated vertically by two hydraulic rams J. (See Fig. 7..) As the construction of the stationary and sliding clamps is the same, we will describe the latter only in detail and in connection therewith will describe the apparatus for producing the sliding movement. The opposite ends of clamps F engage and are adapted to move vertically in ways 38 in a carrier K, the downward movement of each clamp being limited by engagement of the ends thereof with pins 40, extending inward from the carrier. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) It will of course be understood that the special shape of the carrier is not of the essence of our invention, it being simply required that it be so constructed as to slide freely in the opposite sides of the framework. We have shown the parts of the carrier on opposite sides of the machine as connected together by heavy transverse rods 49 and as provided with lateral extensions 41, which rest and are adapted to slide in ways 39 in the framework. In use the plungers 43 of hydraulic rams J engage the lower clamp F and raise it, each clamp or the belt resting thereon picking up and carrying upward the clamp above it, as will be more fully explained. L denotes a fourth set of hydraulic rams comprising, preferably, as shown in the drawings, two rams on each side of the framework, by which the carrier and with it clamps F are moved longitudinally of the framework. The plungers of rams L are extended to form rods 44, (or, if preferred, said rods may be attached to the plnngers,) which are rigidly connected to lateral extensions 41 of the carrier, so that movement of the plungers of the rams will move the carrier, and with it clamps F, in ways 39. It will be noted that we provide each end ofthe cylinders of rams L with water connections 45 and 46, respectively, said connections being adapted to act alternately as induction and eduction pipesas, for example, in stretching a series of belts water will be introduced at pipes 45 at the left end of the cylinders of rams L, pipes 46 serving as eduction-pipes, and when it is desired to return the carrier and clamps F to the starting position, as in Fig. 4, connections 46 become the induction-pipes and shown as fixed to transverse shafts 48. lVe find in practice that perfect smoothness and positiveness of movement are insured by the special construction of the carrier in connection with the use of two rams on each side of the machine and the use of the pinions and racks.

The operation of the machine as a whole is as follows: In starting, the tables and platens and the stationary clamps are open, substantially as in Fig. 1, the sliding clamps are open, as in Fig. 7, and the carrier and said clamps are moved to the extreme of their movement toward the left, as in Fig. 4. The series of belts, four or less, are passed into the machine from the left, as seen in Fig. 1, between the stationary clamps. Then each belt is carried forward between a table and a platen, and an end of each belt is placed between two of the sliding clamps F. Rams J are then operated, and clamps F are moved upward, each clamp being engaged by the belt carried by the clamp below it until each belt in the series is firmly gripped by said clamps. Having caused clamps F to grip the series of belts firmly, clamps E are then operated in precisely the same manner by means of rams H, the lower clamp being first raised and each clamp being picked up and carried upward by the belt resting on the clamp below it until all of the belts are rigidly gripped Having gripped the free ends between them. of the belts by clamps F and again gripped 'the belts at the opposite ends of the vulcanizin g tables and platens by hydraulic pressure, the next step is the stretching of thebelts, which is performed by the four rams L acting upon the carrier K, upon which clamps F are mounted. At the commencement of the stretching operation the carrier is in the po sition shown in Fig. 4, the water connections 46, appearing in said figure, serving as educ tion-pipes, and connections 45 at the other end of the cylinders of said rams L serving as induction-pipes. The operation of stretching is thus performed hydraulically, the amount of stretching to be given to the belts being a matter wholly within the judgment of the manufacturer. Having completed the stretching operation, the next operation is pressing and vulcanizing the series of belts. The pressing operation is effected by means of rams G. The plungers of these rams carry cross-heads 28, upon which the lower table andsteamchest rest, the next combined table and platen above being picked up by the lower table (or the belt resting thereon) in its upward movement and each combined table and platen being picked up by the one below it until each belt in the series is subjected to pressure between a table and a platen, the amount of pressure upon the belts being another matter wholly within the judgment of the manufacturer. While the belts are being pressed between the tables and the platens steam is admitted to the several steam-chests 30 for the purpose of vulcanizing or curing the belts.

When the vulcanizing operation is completed, 5 the pressure of the tables and the platens is' relieved through the operation of ramsG, and the pressure of clamps E andF is relieved: through the operation of ramsH and J. The carriers, with clamps F, are then moved from approximately the position shown in Figs. 1 andj3 to the position shown in Fig. 4 by operating rams'L in the opposite direction,"connections 46 being now the induction-pipes and connections 45 theedu'ction-pipes; This double hydraulic action of the rams which operate the carrier is a'matter of considerable importance and saves muchtime, owing to the great relativemovementofithe carrier.

Having returned the carrier and clamps Fto the normal position, as in Fig. 4:,the opera-r tion of curing another section-of each of the Thebelts are drawn forward towardthe right be-: tween the two sets of clamps and the tables and-platens until the portion of the belts already cured is entirely out from between'thei belts simultaneously is proceeded with.

tablesand the platens; and said tables and platenswill just grip uncured belting, taking care, of course, to leave no uncured portions between the several lengths as they are cured. 1 Having drawn the belts forward until the cured or vulcanizedportion'has passed the tables andplatens, clampsFare then operated asbefore by means of rams J, Then clamps E are operated again-by means oflramsH; Then the stretching operationis performed by means of rams L, and finally the tables-and the platens are elevated topress the belts by means of rams G, after whichanother sectionof the belts isvulc'anized 'or cured as before,

these operations being repeated" in the manner'described upon sections of a series'of belts simultaneously until-the belts are'all cured, after which'new pieces of belting may be inserted and operated upon in the same manner. 1

Having thus described our inventiom-weclaim+- 1. Thecombination with aseries of Vulcanizing tables and platens and means for Opelating said tables and platens hydraulically to press-a series of belts simultaneously,-ofseries of clamps at the-opposite ends of the ta-- bles and platens, hydraulic rams for operating said clamps to grip a series of belts simultaneously at two places andmeans for 'mov-' ing one series of clamps longitudinally ofthe machine so as to stretch the series of'belts simultaneously. r

2. The combination with a series of vulcanizing tables and platens and means for operating said tables-and platens hydraulically to press a' series of belts-simultaneously, of a series of clamps at the opposite ends of the tables and platens, meansfor operating said clampsto grip a seriesof belts-simultaneously and double-acting hydraulic rams on opposite sides .of the machine for moving one series of clampslongitudinally ofthe machine in either direction soasto stretch a-series of beltssimultaneously or to return the clamp's to the starting position. I

3.- The combination with a series of vulcanizing tables and platens and means for oper-" ating said tables and platens'hydraulically to press a series-of beltssimultaneouslygof a series of clamps at the opposite ends of the tables and platens, hydraulic rams for operating said clamps to grip a series of belts 'si-' multaneously at two places and double-acting hydraulic rams on opposite sides of the ma"- chine for moving one series of clamps longitudinally of the machine in either direction, substantially as shown for the purpose specified. I 3 4E. The combination with a series of vulcanizing tables and platens and means for operatio g said tables and pl'atens hydraulically to press a series of belts simultaneously, a

series of stationary clamps, hydraulic rains for operating said clamps' to' gripa-serie's'of' belts simultaneously, a sliding carrier, a series of clamps carried thereby, hydraulic rams moving with-the carrier to operate said clamps and other hydraulic rams adapted *to. move the carrier longitudinally ofthe machineto stretch a series of belts simultaneously.

5. The combination with a series of vulcanizin g tables and platensand' means foroper-- ating said tables'a'nd platens hydraulically-to press a series'of belts simultaneously," of'a series of stationary clamps, hydraulic rams for operating said clamps, a 'series'of sliding clamps, a carrier for said" clamps, hydraulic rams for operating the sliding clamps and hydraulic rams for operating the carrier in either. direction. 6. The combination with a series of vulcan= izingtables and "platens and a-series of hy 'draulic rams for operating said tables and platens, of a series of stationary clamps, by draulic rams for operating said clamps, ase ries of sliding clamps, a carrier for the slid ing clamps, hydraulic rams upon the carrier for operating said clamps and hydraulic rams formoving the carrier longitudinally upon the machinei 7 In a machineof the charac'tei; described,-

thefcombina'tion with anupper platem-alower table and a series of intermediate combined tables and platens, of hydraulic rams toppierate said tables'and platens to press a series of beltssim-ultaneously and-means forts-us pending the intermediate com'bine'dtablesandplatens, whereby the downwardmo've mentis'limited and they are left ire'eftofbe moved upward by the rams.

8. In'a machine of the charact'er described thecombin'ation withan-upperpla-t'en-and a lower'table," of a series of intermediate:coin bined tables'andplatens,double lreadedrods" 81' and blocksnpon said" tables -and''-platens which are-adapted tobe engaged by me neads and are provided with recesses to receive 'the',

bolts, so that thedownward' mov'ement of the intermediate tables and platens is limited, but they are left free to move upward, substantially as shown'for the purpose specified.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with means for pressing and vulcanizing a series of belts simultaneously, of a series of stationary clamps, a series of sliding clamps, hydraulic rams for operating said clamps and means for suspending the intermediate clamps, whereby, their downward movement is limited and they are left free to be moved upward by the rams.

10. The combination with a series of vulcanizing tables and platens and hydraulic rams for operating said tables and platens to press and vulcanize a series of belts simultaneously, of series of stationary and sliding clamps, hydraulic rams for operating said clamps and pins engaging said clamps to limit their downward movement leaving them free to be moved upward by the rams.

11. The combination with a series of vulcanizing tables and platens and hydraulic rams for operating said tables and platens to press and vulcanize a series of belts simultaneously, of series of stationary and sliding clamps, hydraulic rams for operating said clamps, a carrier for the sliding clamps, hydraulic rams for operating said carrier, stationary racks and pinions upon the carrier engaging said racks,

substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

12. The combination with framework having upper and lower racks on both sides, a series of vulcanizing tables and platens and hydraulic rams for operating said tables and platens, of series of stationary and sliding clamps, hydraulic rams for operating said clamps, a carrier for the sliding clamps, pinions on said carrier engaging the racks and hyd raulio rams on opposite sides of the framework for operating the carrier.

13. The combination With framework having upper and lower racks on both sides, vulcanizing tables and platens and hydraulic rams ther'efor, of stationary and sliding clamps, hydraulic rams for operating the clamps, a carrier for the sliding clamps having pinions engaging the racks and duplicate double-acting hydraulic rams on opposite sides of the framework for operating the carrier.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

Witnesses:

G. W. OSBORN, EDWIN VAN RIPER. 

